Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-04-10
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.
HONEST AS THE DAY IS LONG,
BUT VERY exAcTlNG.


bShof ~
the Common school systsm-Few Out
side Alliances.
''There is not a more curious people
under the sun than these same Pennsyl-
wanna Dutch farmers. Their ancestors
were the pioneer settlers in one of the
most fertile sections Of Pennsylvania, and
the superstitiOns, customs and ~antipathies
OF the fathers are still held by the sons.
The wal of the rebellion did more to dispel
the traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch
than anything in their history; but 90
among them in the back countries, where
their farms are isolated from towns, and
you will find them still firm believers in
spooks, witches and charms, and strong
IN their doubts Of the necessity Of COM
mon schools. They are as honest as the
day is long, and the most close listed and
exacting in "a bargain Of any people in the
world. Driving long distances to market,
they will haggle over a dime in a bargain
that involves probably the sale OF hun
dreds of dollars worth of produce, and IL
assured by going ten miles farther they
will be able 10 sell their goods and make
the extra ten cents, they will not hesitate
a moment TO take the journey. The extra
time and labor they do not take into ac-
count.
From the earliest days Of the Penn
sylvania Dutch farmers they have re-
garded mental service as the duty OF wo-
men. II is by no means an uncommon
sight 10 see, in passing these back farm
ing regions, the women working in the
Aallo ~ u-all no sha na.n NOT only hnafnn
and harvesting, but following the pillow
or harrow. This idea that women shall
have no mission beyond mental labor is
well illustrated by the fact that many a
domestic drudge in the town families is
the daughter of some farmer rich enough
20 buy her employer over and over again.
! have a servant IN my house whose father
Is one of the best known Dutch farmers
I'm eastern Lehigh county, and is worth ut
least $4,000.
Before the v AT the old Dutch farmers
held 10 the custom Of their fathers, which
prompted then. to never refuse TO extend
financial aid & another, and that without
eXacting written obligation or interest.
II one farmer needed a few hundred dol
lars he went % any neighbor whom he
knew had the money. The loan was at
once forthcoming, the borrower naming a
certain day and hour on which the money
would be repaid. II he failed to keep his
word he was forever in disgrace, and no
one was bound 10 respond TO his request
for aid again. Defaults in payment Of
these unsecured and unremunerative loans
were very rare, so sacred was the verbal
contract held. The scarcity Of money that
came with the early years Of the war, and
the premium that gold commanded, sent
Spectators through the Pennsylvania
Dutch farming regions, and the cupidity
of the farmers was soon awakened, and
they for the first time began 10 realize
profit from the use Of their money. Then
the old custom Of helping one another
without some return OF the favor was
gradually abandoned, and the bond and
mortgage took its place. As the Dutch
farmers, rs a class, are seldom in need OF
borrowing, and are suspicious OF outsiders
I'm making loans, the existence Of fortunes
In stockings and coffee pots may he
further explained.
"When tine common school system was
first proposed, although it was the scheme
of Pennsylvania Dutch legislators and eX-
ecutives, the farmers were a unit in oppos-
fng it. After 1t was authorized by law
its machinery in many Of the districts of
the Dutch counties necessarily passed into
the control Of its opponents. Their policy
was 10 establish rs few schools as possible,
keep them open only a few weeks in the
year and employ only such teachers as
were willing Ia serve at the lowest possible
wages. Many old timers have not modified
their opposition to the common school yet,
and will not accept its benefits. The con
sequence is that there are whole cummuni.
ties where nothing but German is read,
written or spoken. IL is a characteristic
Of the race 10 preserve their language,
which Is n quaint combination Of English
and German.
THE one great characteristic Of the
Pennsylvania Dutch is their regard for
and strict attendance at church. No
matter how far the nearest church may
be away, the farmer and his family never
miss a sundays service. \ man may
offend against law in other ways and
be forgiven, but IL he Deglects his church
he Is at once placed under the ban of
society, The Pennsylvania Dutch are
proud Of their party, and they adhere
closely to old forms. They are the
severest of Plotestants. Politicians
understand and use his love Of church
among the farmers, and a candidate going
among them and making ostentatious
show Of his church connections, and, being
able 10 quote from the Scriptures, captures
the hearts and votes Of the simple minded
Dutchmen.
Probably nowheU else in the country
are the social pastimes Of the farmers pre-
served and INDUCED in to such an extent
as they are among the Pennsylvania
Dutch. The apple cut, the corn husking,
the quilting bee, the old fashioned country
dance furnish the amusement and recrea-
ton to the buxom Dutch maidens and
lusty SWANS to-day as they did 10 those Of
hundreds OF years z The dances are
kept up from early evening until daylight.
There is no going 10 bed after a dance.
The women go at once 20 their household
duties and the men 10 their labor In the
field the same as IL they had slept as
usual, from candle light TO candle light,
according 20 the old Dutch custom. Work
indoors and out begins rs soon as there is
light enough to see, and continues until il
IL too dark 10 see, winter and summer.
"The Dutch families discourage and
d~lsapproye Of all marriages that will
destroy the purity Of their blood, aud
hence the marriages with members Of any
other race are very rare. This accounts
for the remarkable preservation of the
language. the customs and the traditions
Of their fo~refathers among these people,
surrounded rs they are by influences OF
the highest modern thought and example.
But in spite Of their exclusiyeness, their
tenacious adherence to ideas Of n century
z and stubborn resistance TO the
advance Of those Of to-day, the lessons In
integrity, industry, thrift and thorough
ness which they hayp piypn have had N